CSIRO to take the guess work out of breeding sheep

Domestic sheep common to farms around Australia have come along way from their wild relatives and ancestors. Over many years of domestication, sheep have been bred for their commercially important traits by selectively breeding through trial and error, something that is about to change thanks to a new genomic tool. (3:29)

Scientists from CSIRO, working with an international team, recently launched a new genomic tool which is set to transform the future selection and breeding of sheep around the world.

Called the Ovine SNP50 BeadChip, this cutting-edge tool will enable researchers to identify the small genetic differences that produce a variety of commercially important traits in sheep, such as improved growth rate, fertility, parasite resistance, and healthier meat products.

In this podcast Dr Brian Dalrymple from CSIRO Livestock Industries discusses how the new genomic tool will impact on the sheep industry.